Ukraine
is an East
European
country with
the population
of about 48
million. It is
bordered by
Russia to the
north and
east, Belarus
to the
north-west and
Poland, the
Slovak
Republic and
Hungary to the
west. The
country has
many different
geographic
area types.
There are
mountains to
the west and
forests to the
north, and the
Black Sea to
the south.
With all of
this variation
Ukraine is
rich with
natural
beauty.
Although the
capital of the
country is
Kyiv, there
are many other
large cities
spread
throughout the
country such
as Odessa,
Lviv,
Dniepropetrovsk.

Ukraine
is very rich
in old world
culture. With
many forms of
art and
architecture
visible
throughout the
country, it is
easy to find
something of
interest no
matter where
you are.

The
climate of the
country is
moderate.
Winter is
rather mild,
with no severe
frosts but
with regular
snowfalls
everywhere
except the
south. The
rivers and
lakes freeze
in winter. The
average winter
temperature
varies -15
Centigrade in
the north to
-10 in the
south. Summer
is quite hot
and dry, with
occasional
showers and
thunderstorms.

Kyiv
(also known as
Kiev), a
scenic city of
close to 3
million people
situated on
the Dnipro
River, is the
bustling
capital of
Ukraine.
Ancient Kievan
Rus, which
reached its
greatest
period of
ascendancy
during the
11th and 12th
centuries, was
a center of
trade routes
between the
Baltic and the
Mediterranean.
The city of
Kyiv and the
power of
Kievan Rus
were destroyed
in 1240 by
Mongol
invaders and
the lands of
Kievan Rus
were divided
into
principalities
located to the
west and
north:
Galicia,
Volynia,
Muscovy and
later, Poland,
Lithuania, and
Russia. Once a
powerful force
on the
European
scene,
Ukraine's fate
in modern
times has been
decided in
far-off
capitals. As a
result, modern
Ukrainian
history, for
the most part,
has been
defined by
foreign
occupation.

Kyiv
suffered
severely
during World
War II, and
many
irreplaceable
architectural
and art
treasures were
destroyed.
Earlier in the
1930's the
Soviet
authorities
systematically
destroyed many
churches.
Extensive
restoration
has revived
much of
historic Kyiv.
The city hit
the headlines
in April 1986,
when the
nuclear
reactor at
nearby
Chernobyl
exploded, but
scientists
generally
agree that the
city is now
safe from
radiation
effects.

Despite
repressions,
suffering,
political
turmoil, and
ecological
disasters,
Ukraine's
spirit and
national
identity have
never died. On
August 24,
1991, after
the aborted
coup in
Moscow,
Ukraine
proclaimed its
independence.
As of 1994,
Ukraine has
diplomatic
relations with
over 135
countries and
close to 60
diplomatic
missions are
established in
Kyiv. News
correspondents,
business
representatives,
and students
from all over
the world
reside in
Kyiv, and the
flow of
foreign
tourists and
official
delegations is
heavy year
round. The
resident
American
community
consists of
Embassy
personnel
(including
dependents),
correspondents,
business
representatives,
clergy,
professors,
and students.

The
art and
architecture
of Kyiv are
world
treasures. The
Cathedral of
St. Sophia,
where the
princes of
Kyiv were
crowned in the
years of
Kyiv's
grandeur, has
outstanding
mosaics and
frescoes
dating back to
the 11th
century.
Overlooking
the old
section of
Kyiv, Podol,
stands the
Ukrainian
Baroque church
of St. Andrew,
much beloved
by Ukrainians.
The Percherska
Lavra, the
Monastery of
the Caves, a
short trolley
ride from the
center of
town, has two
11th-century
cathedrals on
its grounds,
in addition to
its
world-famous
catacombs,
bell tower,
and museum
collections.
Close to the
center of town
stands the
Golden Gate, a
structure
which dates
back to 1037.
This recently
reconstructed
remains of the
former
fortified wall
of the city
defined the
limits of the
city in
centuries
past. Several
blocks away,
stands the
magnificent
19th-century
Cathedral of
St. Volodymyr.

Theater buffs
will find much
to choose from
here. Most
performances
are in
Ukrainian or
Russian. The
recently
renovated Kyiv
Opera House
presents very
good opera as
well as a
broad
repertoire of
ballets. The
Kyiv Young
Theater is
very popular
and stages
innovative
plays in
Ukrainian or
Russian. The
Ivan Franko
Theater is the
center of
Ukrainian
drama, comedy,
and musicals.
This
repertoire has
just opened
its 75th
season and
includes
brilliant
versions of
Aeneid and
Teve Tevel,
the original
version of
Fiddler on the
Roof.

The
modern center
with surviving
parts of the
old city are
on the hilly
west, or right
bank, of the
Dnipro River.
The main
street,
Khreshchatik,
runs between
two steep
hills.
Parallel about
half a
kilometer
west, is
vulytsya
Volodymyrska,
the main
street of the
Old Kyiv area
(Staryj Kyiv).
From the north
end of
Khreshchatik,
vulytsya
Hrushevskoho
rises
southeast
along a ridge
to the Caves
Monastery at
Perchersk.
Woods and
parks cover
most of the
steep
right-bank
slopes. The
capital's
newer sections
stretch out on
the flat left
bank. These
are
characterized
by large
housing
developments
and
industrialized
neighborhoods.

Ukrainian
pottery,
embroidery,
and
handicrafts
are available
throughout the
city,
particularly
in shops on
Andrievsky
Uzviz, at
Percherska
Lavra, and St.
Sophia's
church.
Quality and
quantity vary
from shop to
shop. A
growing number
of hard
currency
stores stock
Western food,
alcohol,
clothing, and
electrical
appliances.
Most prices,
in
hard-currency
stores, are
higher than
those in the
West, and
availability
of stock is
unpredictable.